By David Smith Jr.
– Park City, Kansas – October 1, 2011 – After a season full of struggles and misfortune, Liberal, Kansas sprint car driver ended the 2011 race season with a positive one as he took the lead late and held on to claim his second win of the season as the National Championship Racing Association of Park City, Kansas presented by Smiley’s Racing Products sprint car division season came to a close Saturday night at 81 Speedway in Park City, Kansas.
And while Martin claimed the race victory, C.J. Johnson of Quinter, Kansas grabbed his second career sprint car title with his first coming back in 2000.
Ryan Roberts and defending series champion Jeremy Campbell started on the front row for the twenty-five lap feature with Campbell jumping out into the lead as the green flag fell. Fourth starting Jordan Boston jumped into the runner up position with Luke Cranston and Roberts falling in behind.
Campbell worked the top side of the track to perfection and quickly sailed to a half stretch lead by lap two. He would first encounter lapped traffic on lap five but would catch a breather when Gavin Punch spun to a stop in turn two.
Campbell throttled away from the rest of the field on the restart while behind him, Cranston took over the runner up position over Boston with Martin on his bumper. Martin would pass Cranston on lap ten to take over the runner up position and set his sights on the leader.
Just past the races midway point the second and final caution flag fell when Jake Martens went for a spin in turn four.
The final restart saw Campbell again start to pull away with Martin giving chase. Martin would close the distance to five car lengths while behind them, thirteenth starting Danny Lasoski worked his way up through the field and was no putting the Mark Burch owned #1m into lead contention.
Five laps to go the leaders entered heavy lapped traffic with Campbell holding on to a three length lead. With three laps to go Martin and his #36 Carbone Racing Engines powered JE chassis started making his move for the lead and would drive underneath the leader in turns three and four to take the lead.
Martin would then pull away the final two laps and go on to claim his second series victory of the season.
“I didn’t want to show Jeremy too early that the bottom was there so I waited to make my move,” said an elated Martin in victory lane. “We just have had so much go wrong this year and it really feels good to finally get into victory lane.” The track was perfect all night, probably the best track we have had to race on all year.”
Lasoski would pass Campbell on the final lap to come home second while Boston settled for fourth. Don Droud, Jr. started ninth and worked his way to a fifth place finish.
The eight lap heat races for the twenty-five car field were won by Campbell, Cranston and Roberts while Lasoski dominated action in the ten lap “B” feature.
Johnsons ninth place finish, one spot better than Maier’s in the championship feature finale, earned the second generation driver his second career series championship. All despite being shut out of victory lane in 2011.
Johnson and the other four NCRA champions will be officially crowned at the annual year end banquet scheduled for Saturday night, January 28, 2012 in Wichita, Kansas. More details will be announced in the following weeks.
NCRA Sprint Cars
81 Speedway/Park City, Kansas
10/01/11
1st Heat: 1. Jeremy Campbell (Wichita, Ks), 2. Jordan Boston, 3. Don Droud Jr. (Lincoln, Ne), 4. Jason Martin (Liberal, Ks), 5. Danny Lasoski, 6. Patrick Stasa (Kingman, Ks), 7. Barry Gifford (Ponca City, Ok), 8. Ty Williams (Liberal, Ks), 9. Mike Peters (Wichita, Ks)
2nd Heat: 1. Luke Cranston (Plains, Ks), 2. Kasey Beckham (Wichita, Ks), 3. Chris Morgan (Topeka, Ks), 4. Shawn McClelland (Tulsa, Ks), 5. Koby Barksdale (Norman, Ok), 6. Garry Lee Maier (Dodge City, Ks), 7. Jeff Stasa (Kingman, Ks), 8. Wyatt Burks
3rd Heat: 1.Ryan Roberts (Aurora, Ne), 2. Marc Robe (Wichita, Ks), 3. CJ Johnson (Quinter, Ks), 4. Gavin Punch (Collingsville, Ok), 5. Jake Martens (Fairview, Ok), 6. J.D. Johnson (Wichita, Ks), 7. Taylor Milton, 8. Kevin Barksdale (Norman, Ok)
B Feature: 1. Danny Lasoski, 2. Gavin Punch (Collingsville, Ok), 3. Garry Lee Maier (Dodge City, Ks), 4. J.D. Johnson (Wichita, Ks), 5. Taylor Milton, 6. Patrick Stasa (Kingman, Ks), 7. Jeff Stasa (Kingman, Ks), 8. Ty Williams (Liberal, Ks), 9. Barry Gifford (Ponca City, Ok), 10. Koby Barksdale (Norman, Ok), 11. Kevin Barksdale (Norman, Ok), 12. Wyatt Burks, 13. Mike Peters (Wichita, Ks)
A Feature: 1. Jason Martin (Liberal, Ks), 2. Danny Lasoski, 3. Jeremy Campbell (Wichita, Ks), 4. Jordan Boston, 5. Don Droud Jr. (Lincoln, Ne), 6. Ryan Roberts (Aurora, Ne), 7. Luke Cranston (Plains, Ks), 8. J.D. Johnson (Wichita, Ks), 9. CJ Johnson (Quinter, Ks), 10. Garry Lee Maier (Dodge City, Ks), 11. Gavin Punch (Collingsville, Ok), 12. Patrick Stasa (Kingman, Ks), 13. Chris Morgan (Topeka, Ks), 14. Jeff Stasa (Kingman, Ks), 15. Taylor Milton, 16. Ty Williams (Liberal, Ks), 17. Kasey Beckham (Wichita, Ks), 18. Shawn McClelland (Tulsa, Ks), 19. Jake Martens (Fairview, Ok), 20. Marc Robe (Wichita, Ks)